EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF CERAMIDES AND CERAMIDE SYNTHASES ON CHRONIC DISEASES

Lipid dysfunction has been implicated in type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In recent years, ceramides have been linked to this issue. Ceramides are a class of sphingolipids synthesized by a group of enzymes, ceramide synthases (CerS). CerS create different length fatty acid chains, leading to the formation of many species of ceramide. While these lipids are made in the body, they can also be consumed in various foods. Some foods and ceramides have been linked to increases in cell signaling pathways that induce inflammation, dysregulation, and apoptosis. As observed with conditions such as T2D, CVD, and IBD, cellular dysfunction leads to signaling cascades in the tissue. This can cause an enhanced effect on the body and lead to disease of whole organs or organ systems. This review will discuss the accumulation of ceramides and CerS in specific tissues and the prevalence of the aforementioned diseases due to the increased stress on the body's regulation systems caused by the activation of inflammatory and other signaling pathways.